Definition
Plural of abatis; defensive obstacles made of felled trees with sharpened branches pointing outward, used in fortifications or warfare.
Etymology
From French abatis, derived from abattre meaning 'to beat down' or 'to fell.' The word entered English military terminology in the 17th century to describe these tactical barriers used to slow enemy advancement.
Kelly Says
Medieval and early modern armies would create these nasty obstacles by cutting down trees and angling the branches downward—basically nature's version of barbed wire that made cavalry charges much more difficult and gave defenders crucial time.
Translations
CACatalà
abatisos
ah-bah-TEE-sohs
CSČeština
abatisy
ah-bah-TEE-see
DADansk
abatis
ah-bah-TEE
DEDeutsch
Abatisse
ah-bah-TEE-seh
ESEspañol
abatises
ah-bah-TEE-sehs
FISuomi
abatis
ah-bah-TEE
FRFrançais
abattis
ah-bah-TEE
HUMagyar
abatisok
ah-bah-TEE-sohk
IDBahasa Indonesia
abatis
ah-bah-TEE
ITItaliano
abatisi
ah-bah-TEE-zee
MSBahasa Melayu
abatis
ah-bah-TEE
NLNederlands
abatis
ah-bah-TEE
NONorsk
abatis
ah-bah-TEE
PLPolski
abatisy
ah-bah-TEE-see
PTPortuguês
abatises
ah-bah-TEE-sehs
RORomână
abatis
ah-bah-TEE
RUРусский
абатисы
abatisy
SVSvenska
abatis
ah-bah-TEE
SWKiswahili
abatisi
ah-bah-TEE-see
TRTürkçe
abatisler
ah-bah-TEE-sleh
UKУкраїнська
абатиси
abatisy
VITiếng Việt
abatises
ah-bah-TEE-sehs
YOYO
abatisi
ah-bah-TEE-see
ZUZU
abatisi
ah-bah-TEE-see